http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. A drug developed by scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, known as J147, reverses memory deficits and slows Alzheimer's disease in aged mice following short-term treatment. The findings, published May 14 in the journal Alzheimer's Research and Therapy, may pave the way to a new treatment for Alzheimer's disease in humans. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-scientists-drug-alzheimer-mice.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Mon, 13 May 2013 20:00:01 EST news287689272 A new study from investigators at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind/Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) finds that elicitation of the relaxation response – a physiologic state of deep rest induced by practices such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing and prayer – produces immediate changes in the expression of genes involved in immune function, energy metabolism and insulin secretion. Published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, the study combined advanced expression profiling and systems biology analysis to both identify genes affected by relaxation response practice and determine the potential biological relevance of those changes. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-genes-pathways-response.html Psychology & Psychiatry Wed, 01 May 2013 17:00:14 EST news286628359 Abuse during childhood is different. A study of adult civilians with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) has shown that individuals with a history of childhood abuse have distinct, profound changes in gene activity patterns, compared to adults with PTSD but without a history of child abuse. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-ptsd-distinct-gene-patterns-childhood.html Psychology & Psychiatry Wed, 01 May 2013 16:02:40 EST news286642947 Scientists from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in collaboration with researchers from Icelandic Heart Association, Sage Bionetworks, and other institutions, have discovered that a network of genes involved in the inflammatory response in the brain is a crucial mechanism driving Late Onset Alzheimer's Disease (LOAD). The findings, published online today in the journal Cell, provide new understanding of key pathways and genes involved in LOAD and valuable insights to develop potential therapies for the disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-key-mechanism-common-alzheimer-disease.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:00:04 EST news286108563 For the first time, scientists show that a leading cause of liver transplant, primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), is a distinct disease from inflammatory bowel disease, opening up new avenues for specific PSC treatments. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-large-scale-genetic-relationship-primary-sclerosing.html Genetics Sun, 21 Apr 2013 13:00:17 EST news285763950 Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a genetic mutation that may underlie common behaviors seen in some people with autism, such as difficulty communicating and resistance to change. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-autism-behaviors-linked-gene.html Neuroscience Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:18:40 EST news279911901 Early laboratory tests are the first to successfully use an experimental molecular therapy to block a hard-to-target part of a protein complex linked to several types of invasive cancer. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-molecular-inhibitors-successfully-difficult-cancer.html Cancer Tue, 05 Feb 2013 09:45:59 EST news279279861 Johns Hopkins researchers have identified a rare gene mutation in a single family with a high rate of schizophrenia, adding to evidence that abnormal genes play a role in the development of the disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-evidence-mounts-role-mutated-genes.html Genetics Tue, 22 Jan 2013 04:00:01 EST news278012810 (Medical Xpress)—Researchers from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute's cancer genome project have developed a computer model to identify the fingerprints of DNA-damaging processes that drive cancer development. Armed with these signatures, scientists will be able to search for the chemicals, biological pathways and environmental agents responsible. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-cancer-causing-mutational-signatures-genome.html Genetics Fri, 11 Jan 2013 07:30:01 EST news277110869 New research is revealing how red blood cells are made and how the body regulates the amount of haemoglobin that is packaged in red blood cells at any time. Genomic analysis techniques have doubled the number of genetic regions that are likely to be involved in red blood cell formation and subsequent study using fruit flies has given insights into what these regions do. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-genetic-regions-red-blood-cell.html Genetics Wed, 05 Dec 2012 13:00:06 EST news273929927 The University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) participated in the largest genetic study of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) to date. Researchers from the CARDIoGRAMplusC4D Consortium report the identification of 15 genetic regions newly associated with the disease, bringing to 46 the number of regions associated with CAD risk. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-largest-coronary-artery-disease-evidence.html Genetics Mon, 03 Dec 2012 10:17:38 EST news273752229 In the largest genetic study of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) to date, researchers from the CARDIoGRAMplusC4D Consortium report the identification of 15 genetic regions newly associated with the disease, bringing to 46 the number of regions associated with CAD risk. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-insights-genetic-coronary-artery-disease.html Genetics Sun, 02 Dec 2012 13:00:37 EST news273668467 Deciphering what causes the brain cell degeneration of Parkinson's disease has remained a perplexing challenge for scientists. But a team led by scientists from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) has pinpointed a key factor controlling damage to brain cells in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease. The discovery could lead to new targets for Parkinson's that may be useful in preventing the actual condition. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-potential-parkinson-disease.html Parkinson's & Movement disorders Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:51:33 EST news272566120 Researchers using a new approach to identifying genes associated with depression have found that variants in a group of genes involved in transmission of signals by the neurotransmitter glutamate appear to increase the risk of depression. The report published in the journal Translational Psychiatry suggests that drugs targeting the glutamate system may help improve the limited success of treatment with current antidepressant drugs. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-glutamate-neurotransmission-involved-depression.html Psychology & Psychiatry Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:00:38 EST news272037627 About 10.6% of the inherited genetic risk for developing coronary artery disease (CAD) can be explained by specific DNA variations, according to research reported today at the American Society of Human Genetics 2012 meeting. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-dna-variants-percent-inherited-genetic.html Genetics Thu, 08 Nov 2012 13:30:01 EST news271583304 Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) is currently classified as a subtype of juvenile idiopathic arthritis but with the addition of systemic inflammation often resulting in fever, rash and serositis. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine shows that the arthritic and systemic components of SJIA are related, but that the inflammatory pathways involved in SJIA are different from those in the more common polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (POLY). Of particular interest, distinct pathways involved in the arthritis of early and established SJIA raise the possibility that the immune system alters its behaviour over the course of this disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-juvenile-arthritis.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Mon, 22 Oct 2012 20:00:01 EST news270137458 (Medical Xpress)—Walking with a slouched or despondent body posture can lead to feelings of depression or decreased energy, but those feelings can be reversed by walking in a more upright position, according to new research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-good-posture-ease-depression.html Psychology & Psychiatry Fri, 05 Oct 2012 09:16:17 EST news268647360 (Medical Xpress)—The first single gene cause of increased sensitivity to the hormone insulin has been discovered by a team of Oxford University researchers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-gene-insulin-sensitivity-insight-diabetes.html Diabetes Wed, 12 Sep 2012 17:00:01 EST news266682943 Researchers have newly identified three genetic regions associated with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), the most common autoimmune liver disease, increasing the number of known regions associated with the disorder to 25. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-genetic-clues-primary-biliary-cirrhosis.html Genetics Sun, 09 Sep 2012 14:13:13 EST news266418772 Busselton residents and researchers from The University of Western Australia have contributed to a worldwide scientific collaboration that has identified new genetic links in the quest to map the biological pathways that cause diabetes. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-genetic-clues-diabetes.html Genetics Tue, 14 Aug 2012 08:30:01 EST news264148765 Researchers have identified 38 new genetic regions that are associated with glucose and insulin levels in the blood. This brings the total number of genetic regions associated with glucose and insulin levels to 53, over half of which are associated with type 2 diabetes. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-metabolic-magic-meta-analyses-reveal-genetic.html Genetics Sun, 12 Aug 2012 13:00:27 EST news263813332 Using data from its unique online research platform, 23andMe, a leading personal genetics company, has identified seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly associated with breast size, including three SNPs also correlated with breast cancer in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) now published online in BMC Medical Genetics. These findings make the first concrete genetic link between breast size and breast cancer risks. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-23andme-genetic-breast-size-cancer.html Genetics Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:07:10 EST news260539503 An Indiana University-led research team, along with a group of national and international collaborators, has identified and prioritized a comprehensive group of genes most associated with schizophrenia that together can generate a score indicating whether an individual is at higher or lower risk of developing the disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-key-genes-prototype-schizophrenia.html Genetics Tue, 15 May 2012 04:00:01 EST news256233844 The findings of a new study suggest that the protective effects of an active cognitive lifestyle arise through multiple biological pathways. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-brain_1_2.html Psychology & Psychiatry Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:12:35 EST news254567541 Mutations in three new genes have been linked to autism, according to new studies including one with investigators at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. All three studies include lead investigators of the Autism Sequencing Consortium (ASC). The findings, in a trio of papers revealing new genetic targets in autism, are published in the April 4th online issue of the journal Nature. The studies provide new insights into important genetic changes and the many biological pathways that lead to autism spectrum disorders (ASD). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-mutations-genes-linked-autism-spectrum.html Autism spectrum disorders Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:00:01 EST news252758397 - A new animal model of nerve injury has brought to light a critical role of an enzyme called Nmnat in nerve fiber maintenance and neuroprotection. Understanding biological pathways involved in maintaining healthy nerves and clearing away damaged ones may offer scientists targets for drugs to mitigate neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's and Parkinson's, as well as aid in situations of acute nerve damage, such as spinal cord injury. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-biologists-key-enzyme-involved-nerves.html Medical research Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:58:23 EST news252352668 In the largest study of its kind, researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have discovered five new genetic mutations associated with Crohn's disease in Jews of Eastern European descent, also known as Ashkenazi Jews. The findings, which appear in the March 8 online edition of PLoS Genetics, are the first step in an attempt to explain why the prevalence of Crohn's disease is nearly four times higher in Ashkenazi Jews than in other populations. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-genetic-variations-crohn-disease-ashkenazi.html Genetics Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:00:08 EST news250444201 (Medical Xpress) -- Boosting levels of the simple compound fumarate in mice significantly reduces damage from a heart attack, an Oxford University-led study has shown. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-fumarate-greatly-heart-mice.html Medical research Wed, 07 Mar 2012 08:13:34 EST news250330405 (Medical Xpress) -- An international team of researchers has discovered 13 new regions of the genome associated with the timing of menopause. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-gene-menopause.html Genetics Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:04:59 EST news246524616 An investigational drug called regorafenib slowed the progression of tumors and lengthened the lives of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, an international phase III clinical trial found. The findings were presented today at the Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in San Francisco by Mayo Clinic oncologist Axel Grothey, M.D., principal investigator of the trial in the United States. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-drug-survival-colorectal-cancer-patients.html Cancer Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:47:37 EST news246080849